Even Angels Fall
by Lerith Everclear
Summary: *Finished* Faith's out of prison, Kate's still a cop, and Angel has a frightening new enemy *please R&R*
1. 1

"Freedom has never felt this good" Faith thought as she slid into her tight black leather hip-huggers. She pulled the soft black velvet halter top on. She leaned across the counter towards the medicine cabinet mirror and lined her dark brown eyes in black. She applied her crimson lipstick with the precision of a model. She took her curly chestnut hair down and brushed it. She sat on the bed and quickly laced her boots. On her way out the motel room door she grabbed her leather jacket, and locked the door behind her.  
  
"TAXI!!!" she called from the curb. A long yellow car pulled up beside the gutter and she slipped into the back seat.  
  
"Where to miss?" the man behind the steering wheel asked.  
  
"Somewhere I can dance" she replied slyly with a wink.  
  
As the taxi pulled away from the curb both driver and passenger paid no attention to the large shiny black convertible that pulled into traffic a couple of car lengths away. The car pulled up to a large building that once housed a factory of some sort. Now the dilapidated looking walls housed what sounded to be a very popular club. She walked threw the door and the bass line pumped, a harmonica wailed. She stepped out on to the dance floor. Finding the first warm body Faith glided up next to him, he was cute, in his mid-twenties. She began to gyrate her body against his. He put his arms around her, She ground her hips into his. Outside the black convertible pulled into the parking lot, the driver expertly navigating it to a parking spot near the door. The music from inside carried out to the street.  
  
"Serve me up some pretty pretty people/serve me up someone I can believe" the singer crooned  
  
The driver step out of the vehicle, his long black duster flapping around him, he entered the club.  
  
"So what's your name?" Faith asked her current dance partner as she glanced towards the door. Her eyes locked on the man in the door way.  
  
"Josh" replied the flavor of the moment  
  
"That's nice" she said absently as she walk to the new arrival.  
  
"What are you doing here?" She asked as she lead him to the dance floor  
  
"Don't feel sorry for me. I hate that look on your face" a throaty female voice wailed in the background  
  
"I thought I should keep an eye on you" the handsome newcomer replied  
  
"You say just let go, you say just come home" the woman in the background continued.  
  
"Angel you worry to much." Faith said flatly.  
  
"I know " Angel said.  
  
"Enough watching, more doing" she commanded as she sank into the song and him.  
  
"Stop feeling sorry for me, I'm just falling from grace" the song went on. They danced closer, becoming one body, moving suggestively to the music.  
  
"Under the Dracula moon" the song ended. She stood on tip-toe and kissed him. He returned her kiss passionately. They quickly exited the dance floor, and the club. She slid into the passenger seat of the convertible. The engine roared to life and he pulled out of the parking lot. 


	2. 2

The next evening Faith woke up to the shower in the next room, and a male voice singing a very tone deaf rendition of Barry Manilow's Mandy. She stretched and realized what had happened the night before, and reached for the stake in her jacket, that was lying next to the bed. She slid slowly almost predatory from the bed and crept toward the bathroom, stake in hand. A sudden knock at the door to the room made her jump and drop the stake with a clatter, as the door opened a crack.  
  
"Angel? Are you awake?" a female voice called from the doorway.  
  
"Oh My God!!! What are you doing here?" the voice asked dripping with venom as the door was thrown open "And naked no less" she said indigently. Angel stepped out of the bathroom.  
  
"Oh hey Cordy, Morning" Angel said to the shorter woman, with the short blonde hair cut.  
  
"Oh hey? Morning? What the hell is going on here?" Cordelia demanded.  
  
"Um nothing really" Angel replied as he left the two women in the room and headed down stairs. Cordelia locked a perfectly lined eye on Faith.  
  
"Did you two...you know?" Cordelia prodded.  
  
"Did we...? Screw? Hell yes" Faith answered.  
  
"Oh. Well is he...you know, all evil now?" Cordelia asked  
  
Faith shrugged.  
  
"I dunno"  
  
"Great. Just great. He needs a support group or something. Slayers Anonymous" Cordelia said as she flounced from the room.  
  
  
  
***  
  
  
  
"What was he thinking?" Cordelia demanded as she paced around the office.  
  
"I'm sure he had his reasons" Said the dark haired man with his British accent.  
  
"Well who asked you Wesley?" She snapped.  
  
"For crying out loud, this is Faith we're talking about" She continued.  
  
"Who's Faith?" Asked a deep voice from the lobby.  
  
"Gunn, Hi!" Cordelia chirped as she turned toward the lobby.  
  
"Hey" He replied. It was obviously too early for that brand of perky.  
  
"Guess what? Angel may or may not be evil again, thanks to Faith" Cordelia stated.  
  
"Alright. Who's Faith?" Gunn asked again with less patience this time.  
  
"That," Cordelia gestured to the stairs where the dark haired slayer was descending, "Is Faith"  
  
Faith sauntered up to the counter.  
  
"Someone need me?" Faith asked.  
  
"Like a whole in the head" Cordelia responded icily.  
  
"Morning Wes, new guy" Faith nodded to Gunn and Wesley as she hopped up on to the counter.  
  
"Spordelia" She glanced over her shoulder at Cordelia.  
  
"Why you trashy piece of...of...AAAHHH!!!!!" A razor sharp pain raced threw Cordelia's head as she collapsed to the ground in a heap. A myriad of colors, sounds, and emotions coursed threw her mind.  
  
"Cordy!!!" Wesley cried as he and Gunn raced to her side. Faith watched from the counter with rapt curiosity.  
  
"Are you all right?" Wesley asked her.  
  
"Um, head splitting vision, but I'll be ok" Cordelia replied sarcastically.  
  
"Hey what's up?" Angel asked as he approached the counter.  
  
"Nothing much, just Cordy needing to be the center of attention as always" Faith said.  
  
"Ya know Angel you have really bad taste in girlfriends." Cordelia said, struggling to get to her feet.  
  
"I'm not his girlfriend" Faith said indignantly.  
  
"Anyway, Cordy what did you see?" Wesley asked.  
  
"Um, big guy, long coat, not unlike Angel, except he had long hair and his eyes were completely black. Oh yeah and he had this flaming sword and he was killing a priest." Cordelia rambled.  
  
"Sounds like some party." Faith said hopping off the counter.  
  
"Did you see where?" Gunn asked.  
  
"Yeah St. Luke's." Cordelia responded.  
  
"Ok, Wesley you and Cordy stay here and see what you can find out, Myself, Faith, and Gunn will go check out the church." Angel said.  
  
"Whoa, hold up, when did I become part of this little imitation scooby gang?" Faith asked.  
  
"That would be when you decided to boff the boss." Cordelia said. Faith shrugged. "Which reminds me, your not all evil and soulless now are you?"  
  
"Um not to the best of my knowledge." Angel said.  
  
"Ok, good" Cordelia sighed.  
  
"Let's get moving" Gunn said.  
  
"Shot gun" Faith called on her way out the door. 


	3. 3

The large black Plymouth pulled up to the church a little after eight o'clock. The building and grounds were swathed in police tape and swarming with officers.  
  
"I guess we missed the party." Faith said as she hopped out of the car. Angel nodded as he looked over the crowd, a familiar blonde framed face caught his eye.  
  
"You two stay here, I'll be right back" Angel said as he headed toward the assembled group of police.  
  
"Yes sir" Faith saluted. She turned to Gunn and shrugged. As he neared the crime scene Angel noticed the EMT's wheeling the gurney down the front steps of the church. The smell of burning hair and charred flesh hung heavy in the air.  
  
"Officer Lockley, a moment of your time?" Angel called over the police tape. Kate repressed a shudder when she heard the all to familiar voice, she turned around.  
  
"Angel," she said coolly "I had a feeling I'd be hearing from you tonight." She ducked under the bright yellow plastic barricade.  
  
"What can I do for you Angel?" Kate asked unenthusiastically.  
  
"What happened here?" Angel asked, pretending not to be bothered by her obvious dislike of him.  
  
"Sorry that's confidential." Kate said with no emotion. She glanced over his shoulder, and raised an eyebrow. "You certainly have a thing for picking up strays don't you?" Angel turn around, Faith was sitting in the car, feet propped up on the dash board, talking to Gunn.  
  
"She's reformed and trying to put her past behind her." Angel said. Kate sighed.  
  
"Your a sucker for a sob story and a pretty face, aren't you Angel?" Kate rolled her eyes.  
  
Are you going to tell me what went on here or not?" Angel asked, his patience wearing thin. Kate pursed her lips and looked around. Deep down she knew what ever did this was definitely out of her and the rest of the force's area of expertise.  
  
"One of the priests was cleaved in two by something that cauterized the wound as it cut." Kate said, not hiding her disgust. "Not at all pretty."  
  
"Anything else out of the ordinary?" Angel asked.  
  
"Just a white feather on the floor near the body." Kate replied.  
  
"Any leads or suspects?" Angel asked. Kate shook her head.  
  
"We're checking all the swans in the zoo for alibi's" Kate said flatly.  
  
"Ok I deserved that, it was a stupid question. Any witnesses?" Angel asked.  
  
"Not a one" Kate replied.  
  
"What was the priest's name?" Angel asked  
  
"Father Tomani" Kate answered.  
  
"Thanks Kate" Angel said. He turned on his heel a stalked toward the car, duster billowing behind him.  
  
"And?" Faith asked expectantly as he climbed back into the car.  
  
"And nothing, no witnesses, no suspects, nothing." Angel answered  
  
"Bummer" Faith shrugged.  
  
"So what now?" Gunn asked from the back seat.  
  
"Well, we check in with Wes and Cordy." Angel said.  
  
"Do we have to?" Faith asked. "I get the feeling Cordy doesn't like me very much"  
  
"Could have something to do with black eye you gave her last year." Angel responded.  
  
"Some people just don't have a sense of humor" Faith pouted. 


	4. 4

"You find anything yet Wes?" Cordelia asked.  
  
"Not yet." Wesley said, not looking up from the book he was reading.  
  
"So what do you think about the whole Faith thing?" Cordelia asked, tucking a stray piece of hair behind her ear.  
  
"Well she is trying to turn over a new leaf." Wesley said.  
  
"Not that, about her and Angel getting pelvic." Cordelia said, pulling a nail file out of her desk.  
  
"Well...I...That's really none of our business." Wesley said putting his book down. "I think it is. Hello, whose gonna have to dust him when he gets evil." Cordelia countered.  
  
"We don't know that that's even an issue. After all he and Darla..."Wesley started.  
  
"Don't say that name." Cordelia interrupted. Just then the doors swung open with a thud and Angel came striding in to the room, followed by Faith and Gunn.  
  
"So how goes the research?" Faith purred as she leaned across the counter.  
  
"Not well at all" Wesley replied. "I can't find anything in any of the demonic encyclopedias about a demon with a flaming sword."  
  
"Gee english I thought you said there wasn't a kind of demon out there that couldn't be found in your books" Gunn said dryly.  
  
"What about you Cordy?" Angel asked.  
  
"All I found were references to angels in the old-testament. They were sent to earth to smite the wicked with swords of flame or something." Cordelia said not looking up from her nails.  
  
"So all in all a big fat nothing" Faith said. "I mean it's not like an angel would smite a priest. They kind of play for the same team and all." she continued.  
  
"Unless maybe the priest wasn't as holy as everyone thought." Angel suggested, "Cordy, see what you can find out about Father Tomani."  
  
"Gunn hit the street, see if you can find anything." Angel ordered.  
  
"Right." Gunn said as he headed for the door.  
  
"Wesley, keep at the books." Angel said. "I'm gonna go to Caritas and see if Loren knows anything." Angel turned on his heel to see Faith standing behind him rocking on her feet, looking at him expectantly.  
  
"Oh...um...Faith...you can...um" Angel stuttered  
  
"Go with you?" She asked, cocking her head to the side.  
  
"Yes...come with me...uh to see Loren that is." Angel stammered.  
  
"Hella, lets go then." She said as she headed out the door. 


	5. 5

Angel pulled the car into a space a block down from the club. He turned off the engine and turned to his passenger.  
  
"Faith we need to talk." He said  
  
"Talk about what?" she cocked her head to the side.  
  
"Last night." he answered  
  
"What about it?" she asked, a look of confusion crossing her face.  
  
"What we did, and were we go go from here." He said.  
  
"Hold on Angel, there is no 'we'. I mean your a great guy and all, but neither of us is ready for a relationship right now." She said  
  
"B...but" Angel stammered.  
  
"It was a fluke, a one time deal." she answered.  
  
Angel turned and looked out the window.  
  
"We cool?" Faith asked.  
  
"Yeah." Angel said.  
  
"Good. We gonna go see your green mojo guy or not?" she asked as she hopped out of the car. Angel sighed and opened his door.  
  
  
  
***  
  
  
  
"We're getting nowhere." Cordelia sighed as she drummed her freshly painted nails on her desk  
  
"For once I agree with you." Wesley said as he snapped the book in front of him closed.  
  
"So what do you think about ordering some take out chinese?" Cordelia asked, raising a penciled eyebrow.  
  
"Sounds good." Wesley answered  
  
"Cool, your treat." Cordelia said as she reached for the phone. As she placed her hand on the receiver it rang.  
  
"Geez I hate it when it does that, Angel Investigations." Cordelia answered. "Wesley Wyndham-Price? Just a minute. Hey Wes it's for you." Cordelia called as she covered the receiver with her hand.  
  
"Who is it?" he asked.  
  
"Did you hear me ask?" Cordelia snapped. Wesley walked over to his desk and picked up the phone.  
  
"Hello?" He asked as he motioned for Cordelia to hang up. "Yes, Yes, I understand, thank you." Wesley hung up the phone.  
  
"Well who was it?" Cordelia asked.  
  
"The council." Answered as he sat down.  
  
"What did they want?" Cordelia asked not hiding the disgust in her voice.  
  
"I'm to be Faith's watcher until she's completed her parole and can leave the Los Angeles area." Wesley said as he cleaned his glasses on his shirt.  
  
"W...who's Faith?" asked a quite voice from the doorway. Cordelia looked up as Wesley spun around in his chair.  
  
"Oh Fred, hello." Wesley said cheerfully as he put his newly clean glasses on.  
  
"How are you doing today?" Cordelia asked slowly as though she were talking to a small child.  
  
"I...I'm fine." Fred replied edging into the office.  
  
"Good to hear, We were just about to order some dinner would you like anything?" Wesley asked.  
  
"I'd really like some tacos" Fred replied.  
  
Cordelia sighed and rolled her eyes.  
  
"Of course." Wesley replied.  
  
Cordelia reached into the bottom drawer of her desk and heaved the phone book up on to the desktop.  
  
"Mexican, mexican" she muttered as she flipped the pages.  
  
Fred smiled and sat down near the door.  
  
"Where's Angel?" She asked eagerly.  
  
"He went with Faith to see Loren." Cordelia replied, not looking up from the phone book.  
  
"Oh ok, who's Faith?" Fred asked a puzzled look coming over her face.  
  
"The bimbo her brought home last night" Cordelia Answered.  
  
"O..oh." Fred said quietly, her gaze dropping to the floor.  
  
"What Cordelia meant was that she's and old friend of Angel's from Sunnydale, they ran into each other last night." Wesley said quickly.  
  
"No it's not, I mean yeah that's exactly what happened." Cordelia said as she looked up to see Fred on the verge of tears and Wesley glaring at her.  
  
"Oh" Fred said as she looked up and grinned. Cordelia sighed and rolled her eyes 


	6. 6

Faith and Angel descended the stairs into the semi-dark of the bar.  
  
"Angel, baby, what brings you here?" asked the gaudily dressed green skinned demon.  
  
"This your green mojo guy?" Faith asked, looking Loren up and down.  
  
"That would be me" Loren replied. "And you are?"  
  
"I'm Faith." She said with a grin. Loren smiled.  
  
"The Slayer, how nice to finally meet you." He replied.  
  
"So what do you see in my future?" she asked skeptically.  
  
"You gotta sing first honey." Loren said.  
  
"Fine" Faith said. She sauntered toward the stage. Loren gave a long low whistle as he watched her take the stage.  
  
"I wish I had a swing like that in my backyard." He said as he smiled at Angel.  
  
"Hey" Angel glared at him. Loren shrugged.  
  
"Sorry Angel-cakes, I didn't know you were involved." He said.  
  
"We're not, it's just that.. .well... she... Just read her and keep your mind out of the gutter ok?" Angel said.  
  
"Right." Loren said.  
  
"Anyhow, where he for information." Angel said.  
  
"About?"Loren asked.  
  
"Someone cleaved a priest in half tonight."  
  
"Oooo sounds gruesome." Loren said  
  
"Yeah and clue what could have done it?" Angel asked.  
  
"A lot of things." Loren replied as he turned his attention to the stage. Faith took the microphone and the music started.  
  
  
  
"I hate the world today. Your so good to me. I know, but I can't change. Try to tell you but you look at me like maybe I'm an angel underneath, innocent and sweet, yesterday i cried you must have been relieved to see the softer side, i can understand how you'd be so confused I don't envy you I'm a little bit of everything all rolled into one,  
  
I'm a bitch,  
  
I'm a lover  
  
I'm a child  
  
I'm a mother  
  
I'm a sinner  
  
I'm a saint  
  
I do not feel ashamed  
  
I'm your hell  
  
I'm your dream  
  
I'm nothing in-between  
  
You know you wouldn't want it any other way.  
  
So take me as i am. This may mean you'll have have to be a strong man. Rest assured that when i start to make you nervous, and I'm going to extremes,  
  
tomorrow I will change and today won't mean a thing.  
  
I'm bitch  
  
I'm a lover  
  
I'm a child  
  
I'm a mother  
  
I'm a sinner  
  
I'm a saint  
  
I do not feel ashamed  
  
I'm your hell  
  
I'm your dream  
  
I'm nothing in-between  
  
You know you wouldn't want it any other way.  
  
Just when you think you got me figured out the seasons already changin'. I think it's cool you do what you do, and don't try to save me.  
  
I'm a bitch  
  
I'm lover  
  
I'm a child  
  
I'm a mother  
  
I'm a sinner  
  
I'm a saint  
  
I do not feel ashamed  
  
I'm your hell  
  
I'm your dream  
  
I'm nothing in-between  
  
You know you wouldn't want it any other way.  
  
I'm a bitch  
  
I'm a tease  
  
I'm a goddess on my knees  
  
When your hurt, when you suffer, I'm your angel under cover.  
  
I'm a nun  
  
I'm refined  
  
Can't say I'm not alive. You know I wouldn't want it any other way."  
  
  
  
The music ended and Faith took her bows  
  
"Wow. And here I thought you cornered the market on angst." Loren said as he looked over at Angel.  
  
"What do you mean?" Angel asked. A look of confusion spreading across his face. Faith stepped off the stage and head toward the table. The front door of the club shattered inward in a shower of broken glass and metal.  
  
  
  
* * *  
  
  
  
The smell of tacos hit Gunn like a fist as he walked through the front door of the hotel. He heard talking and giggling coming from one of the offices towards the back. As he walked into the room he saw Cordelia, Fred and Wesley sitting around a desk eating.  
  
"Looks like you guys had a real productive night." He said.  
  
"I take you actually found something out then." Cordelia said raising her eyebrow.  
  
"Well no." he replied.  
  
"Ok then." Cordelia said smugly.  
  
"Didn't you get anything for me?" He asked as rummaged through the empty take out bag.  
  
"W we didn't know when you'd be back." Fred offered helpfully. Gunn sighed and smiled down at her.  
  
"Have we heard from Angel and Faith yet?" Gunn asked?  
  
"Not a word." Wesley replied. 


	7. 7

Faith stopped mid-stride when doors blew in. As she spun around she saw the cause of all the commotion. In the ruined doorway stood a tall man, his shoulders barely fit through the entry way. He wore dark glasses and a long black trench coat. His long black hair flowed around his shoulders. In his right hand he clutched a large glowing red sword. Faith tensed and she felt Angel move up beside her.  
  
"I think we found our boy." Faith Said.  
  
"Looks that way." Angel replied.  
  
  
  
* * *  
  
  
  
Cordelia crumpled up her taco wrapper and tossed it into the trash can next to her desk. Fred was sitting alone in a corner and Wesley and Gunn were out in the front room going over the police report she downloaded. Her vision began spin and her head started to pound. She barely managed to scream before the skull splitting pain over took her. She collapsed in a heap behind her desk. Colors flashed behind her eyelids, and she could feel her muscles twitching. She could barely make out Fred's voice calling for Wesley and Gunn over the cacophony in her head. As the pain began to subside she saw Angel and Faith and the man with the fiery sword, she watched as he cleaved Angel's head from his shoulders. She began to weep as he fell into a pile of dust. She felt hands pulling her to her feet.  
  
"Cordy, what is it? What did you see?" Wesley asked.  
  
"Angel and Faith, Caritas" She sobbed.  
  
"Are they all right?" Fred asked.  
  
"No, Gunn Wes you have to hurry." Cordelia said.  
  
"What are we walking into Cordy?" Gunn asked  
  
"Fiery sword guy killing Angel." She replied.  
  
"Let's go." Wesley said as he headed for the front door.  
  
  
  
* * *  
  
  
  
Kate Lockley sat at her desk staring blankly down at her report. The ringing phone shocked her out of her reverie.  
  
"Kate Lockley." She answered.  
  
"Detective Lockley, I think you ought to head out to Caritas." Said a female voice on the other end of the line.  
  
"Why?" She asked,  
  
"Because Angel's about to crack your case." Said the voice as it hung up the phone. Kate sat and stared at the receiver for a minute before grabbing her keys and heading out of the office.  
  
  
  
_______________________________________________________________________  
  
  
  
A/N: Sorry about the short chapter. This should wrap up next Chapter. 


	8. 8

Faith went limp as she sailed through the air. Her head hit the wall first, followed by the rest of her body. She clung to awareness as she slumped to the floor. All around her she could hear the panicked screams of the bar's patrons as they rushed to exit the building. She looked up to see Angel fly across the room as the tall man in black backhanded him. She watched Loren usher his customers out a back exit. Faith used the wall behind her to steady herself as she stood up. She charged across the room launching herself off a table towards the man. Just as her foot was about to connect with the side of his head, his arm shot up and caught her ankle. With his vise-like grip he pulled her from the air and tossed her at Angel. He looked around to see most of the bar's patrons had escaped him, and he turned to leave as two men came charging down the stairs. Faith untangled herself from Angel and helped him up. The man shrugged off his coat, and two large white feathered wings unfolded on his back. The sword in his hand blazed to life. "You've got to be kidding me." Faith muttered as she stared across room. The man swung his sword at Wesley and Gunn. The two men barely managed to jump out the way in time. Faith grabbed the microphone stand off the stage and rushed toward the back of the man. Angel watched Faith swing the mic stand and connect with the back of the man's head. He stumbled forward as gunfire rang out in the building. Angel glanced towards the door. "Freeze, Police!!!" Kate yelled as she trained her gun on the winged man before her. "Oh like that's gonna work." Faith called as she slammed the mic stand into his head again. The man fell to his knees. Wesley and Gunn rushed him and pinned him down. Angel ran up from the stage and grabbed the sword from him, his hands began to sizzle. The man on the ground bucked Wesley and Gunn off of him. Wesley flew into Kate as she squeezed the trigger of her hand gun. The shot went wide and Faith dropped to the ground with a scream, clutching her arm. The winged man stood and rushed Angel as Kate and Wesley made their way to Faith. Angel stared into the man's eyes as he rushed forward. Angel swung the sword. The flaming metal sliced through ligament and bone as the winged man fell headless at Angels feet. Angel dropped the weapon with a clatter and looked around. Kate was making a call from her cell phone as Wesley and Gunn helped Faith over to Angel. "Was that what I think it was?" Gunn asked looking down at the body. "It would appear so." Wesley said. "What do we do with it?" Faith asked. "Why is everyone looking at me?" Angel asked. "Whatever your going to do, I suggest you do it quickly." Kate said as a siren sounded in the distance. A bright light shone up from the body. The head and body began to rise and spin. The light grew brighter and forced them to avert their eyes. When the light faded all that was left was the sword on the ground. "At least we get something to remember him by." Faith said. As she knelt and picked up the sword she winced as her shoulder throbbed. Wesley heaved the sword up, as he turned toward the others the sword began to disintegrate. Faith sighed. "So much for that. Can we go home now?" She asked.  
  
  
  
* * *  
  
  
  
Cordelia and Fred looked up as the front door swung open. Wesley and Gunn strode in followed by Angel who was helping Faith up the steps. "Fred could you go get the First Aid Kit." Angel asked as he deposited Faith on the chair in the lobby. Fred hurried back into the bathroom. Cordelia walked over to Angel. "Well what was it?" She asked. "You wouldn't believe me if I told you." He said.  
  
  
  
THE END 


End file.
